That’s all it was supposed to be. No strings attached, no feelings, no heartache.

But if I thought Sean Riley would be content having only parts of me, I was dead wrong. His persistence wore me down and I found myself in the one situation I was trying to avoid.

Little does he know a life with me will lead to nothing but disappointment and heartbreak. He’s a good man and deserves everything I can’t give him. Not because I don’t want to, but because I’m unable.

Pushing him away in the beginning was to protect me, now I’m trying to protect him as I gear up for the fight of my life.

A fight I could lose.

Getting into a relationship was my risk, but as things get worse, I’m not the only one who will have something to lose.

I just hope it’s worth it.

Rachael Duncan is an Army wife and mother to two beautiful girls. She grew up in Nashville, Tennessee and went off to graduate from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor's degree in political science. With initial plans to work in politics, she moved to Washington, D.C. and worked on Capitol Hill for a House Representative. After a short time, she realized it wasn't for her and began pursuing other careers until she started writing. She's the author of Tackled by Love, The Lies and Truth Series, and Hopeless Vows.